NEWCASTLE, Pennsylvania (WKBN) — Nursing home workers in Pennsylvania are on strike near their homes.

Workers at The Grove in Newcastle have been on strike since 7am Friday morning.

Matt Rubin, president of the Service Employees International Union Healthcare chapter, said 25 employees are picketing.

Rubin said he plans to continue the strike every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the group signs a new contract.

Lindsay Burns, a local licensed practice nurse, said the striking workers are there for residents.

“When caregivers are on strike outside a care home, we know there is a problem inside. We are here for our residents. I did,” Burns said. “We are negotiating better contracts with all health care workers in our buildings so that we can provide the care our residents deserve. It means following new state regulations regarding safe staffing at facilities.”

This comes after Gov. Wolf agreed to give nursing homes about $600 million in aid from Medicaid payments.

“We know they have millions of taxpayer money to do this. 70% is going to be used for staffing and resident care,” Burns said.

Workers at 24 different nursing homes voted to strike on Friday, according to a press release from SEIU Healthcare, the Pennsylvania nursing home union.

Donna Pronio, CNA for Northeast Pennsylvania, said: “Residents suffer because they also don’t have the bonds and connections they have with them like we do. We are the backbone of nursing homes and are suffering from COVID.Many of us have had COVID in our families and our co-workers 1 People have died, and they can’t even provide the health care we can afford.”

According to the press release, the union’s demands in the negotiations are:

• Significantly raise wages for all existing employees to keep them at their bedside and make minimum wages for all positions:
  • $16/hour for meals, housekeeping, and other ancillary staff.
  • Certified Nursing Assistant $20 per hour.
  • $25 per hour for licensed practicing nurses.
  • Additional increases to recognize longevity and seniority to retain experienced caregivers and respect seniority.
• Employer-paid health insurance.
• Protection of Existing Contracts upon Sale (“Succession Language”).
• Ensuring employers comply with new state regulations governing nursing home staffing.
• A written commitment by workers who choose to form a union not to interfere in any way with their right to hold private equity firms or unscrupulous nursing home chains to account.

First News reached out to The Grove at New Castle for comment, but received no comment.